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Last week’s unveiling of the iPad 2 has led to the release of a number of parody videos aimed at the new tablet. While most of the videos—including one from comedian Conan O’ Brien—attempt to poke fun at Apple’s iPad 2 promotional video, another from Norwegian YouTube user Exkild instead apes the device’s possible functionality by having a current-model iMac stand in for the tablet device. Four videos are embedded below; please note that some may contain objectionable content.

Target has confirmed via its Twitter feed that it will be offering the iPad 2 from launch day, March 11. “The #iPad2 is coming to @Target stores! Get yours on launch day - 3/11/11,” reads the update, without providing any further details. PC World reports that the retailer will be promoting its electronics trade-in program, available at more than 800 stores, that will owners of first-generation iPads to trade in for store credit starting on March 13. “We anticipate our guests being really excited to get the latest technology,” said Target spokeswoman Kristy Walker. Target joins Apple, Walmart, and Best Buy as official retail launch partners for the iPad 2.

Engadget has confirmed that AT&T will allow iPad 2 users who purchased an unlimited data plan for the original iPad last year to continue using their plan with the iPad 2. When the iPad Wi-Fi + 3G first launched in the U.S. last spring, the carrier initially offered an unlimited data option for $30/month, however a few weeks later the carrier revised its plan structure replacing the unlimited iPad data plan with a $25 for 2GB per month option. The iPad 2 goes on sale in the U.S. this Friday and it is not yet known whether existing iPad Wi-Fi + 3G users will need to go through an activation process with AT&T to transfer their plan to the new device or can simply move over their existing micro-SIM card.

In addition to Apple’s online and retail stores, the iPad 2 will be available on launch day from several other retailers. ITProPortal reports that Best Buy, Walmart, and Sam’s Club will all offer the device beginning March 11; readers considering purchasing the iPad 2 from any of these retailers are encouraged to call their local store ahead of time to confirm availability.

In addition, Verizon has revealed its data pricing for the 3G model of the iPad 2. AllThingsD reports that Verizon is offering prepaid monthly plans of 1GB, 3GB, 5GB, and 10GB, priced at $20, $35, $50, and $80, respectively. Compared with AT&T’s plans—250MB for $15 or 2GB for $25—Verizon’s plans offer a wider range of options, with a minimum allotment four times that of AT&T’s for only $5 more, while Verizon customers seeking to upgrade to a second-tier plan will find themselves spending more money than those on AT&T. Like AT&T’s new postpaid options, overages will be charged at $10 per 1GB, and Verizon’s offerings are likewise available on a month-to-month basis with no long-term contract required.

Tips from a reader indicate that the iPad 2’s new screen mirroring feature may not be as broadly supported as users might hope, due to certain third-party developers’ copyright concerns. Introduced by Apple at this week’s media event in San Francisco, iPad 2 screen mirroring enables an iPad 2 to display all of its screen contents on an HDMI port-equipped HDTV, duplicating whatever is being shown on the device’s 9.7” touchscreen. This feature was initially said to depend upon Apple’s new Digital AV Adapter accessory, which will sell for $39. In introducing the Adapter, Apple CEO Steve Jobs said that “it works with all apps, so anything you can see on the iPad screen, you see on HDMI.” Apple’s web site notes that the Adapter can also display movies “at up to 720p” and other content “in up to 1080p HD.”

According to our reader, Apple has turned screen mirroring on by default on the iPad 2, unlike AirPlay wireless video streaming, which is disabled by default and therefore only implemented by developers who want to support the feature. Though Apple has included a screen mirroring toggle to let third-party applications send different content through the Adapter, some developers plan to use it to “opt out” of screen mirroring altogether, citing potential copyright issues with displaying some or all of their video content through a connected TV. If implemented in this fashion, iPad 2 video mirroring using the Digital AV Adapter could have significant limitations, similar to Apple’s iPad Dock Connector to VGA Adapter, which was released without a conspicuous disclosure that some iTunes-purchased videos would refuse to play through the Adapter for unspecified contractual reasons, leading to widespread user complaints.

On the rare occasions that it has discussed the issue, Apple has maintained that Hollywood studios are to blame for the iPad’s video output limitations, and Jobs has publicly thrown up his hands in apparent frustration with contracts that have limited the device’s output capabilities. While it is unclear whether the Digital AV Adapter will handle iTunes-protected content better than the VGA Adapter did, particularly in light of a new claim on Apple’s web site that the VGA Adapter will also support iPad 2 video mirroring and 1080p video out, it is likely that the Digital AV Adapter includes support for high-bandwidth digital content protection (HDCP), an anti-piracy technology that would satisfy studios’ contractual requirements.

AllThingsD is reporting that publisher Condé Nast will be raising prices for two of its iPad magazine titles, GQ and Vanity Fair as part of a shift to a new digital publishing platform. Previously, readers who had purchased a single digital issue of these magazines were able to purchase subsequent issues at a discounted price. This option will be going away as of next month, bringing prices to $5 an issue for both digital publications, from previous per-issue pricing of $3 for GQ and $4 for Vanity Fair. This is reportedly part of Condé Nast’s decision to move these titles from its own in-house digital publishing system over to the Adobe platform it chose to standardize on last fall, a change which will also require readers of these publications to download new apps. Glamour magazine will also be moving to the new platform and the company plans to promote the new app by offering it for a limited-time discounted price of $1 starting next Tuesday.

Condé Nast explains the price change by noting that the move to the new platform provides it with a chance to “reexamine pricing” and that the publisher intends to sell its digital titles at the same price as physical newsstand copies. The company has not commented on any plans regarding subscription pricing or Apple’s new subscription model. Condé has confirmed that purchased issues downloaded and archived in the current apps will remain available for reading as long as the app remains on the device, however users will need to install the new apps to purchase content going forward. The publisher also notes that for now the new app and new issues of the three magazines will be available on the iPad only, leaving previous iPhone and iPod touch readers out of the picture.

Following its official announcement at the iPad 2 media event yesterday, Apple has released a pre-release version of the Gold Master of iOS 4.3 for the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad to members of the iOS developer program. This likely represents the last developer-only release prior to the final public release of iOS 4.3 which has been scheduled for March 11th. It is currently unknown what specific changes have been made in this latest version, although Apple highlighted some of the new features in iOS 4.3 during yesterday’s media event and some previews have been seen from prior beta releases. Apple’s iOS 4.3 GM seeds for the iPad, iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS and third- and fourth-generation iPod touch are available now to paid iOS developers from the iOS Dev Center. Notably, although developers were previously provided with a beta version of iOS 4.3 for the Apple TV, a GM seed of the Apple TV iOS has not yet been made available.

Obscured by the many iPad 2-related announcements yesterday, Apple failed to make any mention of MobileMe-based video or photo uploading during its media event. A quick scan of Apple’s iPad 2 mini-site shows that no references are made to sharing photos or videos via MobileMe, although the service is still mentioned by name in references to synchronization and location-based services. Recent reports have suggested that Apple is working on a revamp of its paid MobileMe service which would position it as a free online, cloud-based “locker” for content such as photos, videos, and music. In addition, the company recently discontinued its boxed MobileMe retail packages before pulling it from its computer configuration options and ultimately removing any method through which a user could pay for the service. References to a “Media Stream” service have been found inside recent beta versions of iOS 4.3, which might point to a replacement service for traditional MobileMe sharing options.

Following yesterday’s announcement of the iPad 2, Apple is now selling the original first-generation iPad as refurbished for prices starting at $349 for the 16GB Wi-Fi model up to $659 for the 64GB Wi-Fi + 3G model, with new units selling at $100 reductions from their original $499 to $829 asking prices. Similar price reductions have been made in other countries as well, where the first-generation iPad is still being sold on the main Apple Store pages at reduced prices, pending the March 25th release of the iPad 2 in those countries.

Further, Electric Pig is reporting that Apple is offering refunds for customers who have purchased first-generation iPads within the past 14 days. Upon request to the company, Apple will refund the $100 price difference for customers who would prefer to keep their original iPad rather than returning it.

Apple has announced that the iPad 2 will be launched simultaneously in 26 additional countries around the world on March 25, two weeks following its U.S. debut. Countries included in the March 25 launch are Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the U.K. The company intends to launch the iPad 2 in even more countries worldwide “in the coming months” but has not yet committed to which additional countries or any specific release dates. Pricing for the iPad 2 outside of the U.S. has not been announced, and the Apple Stores in other countries are not accepting pre-orders or providing any additional information, instead simply prompting users to sign up to be notified of additional release details as they become available.

Apple has released information on its web site indicating that the iPad 2 will go on sale in the U.S. on March 11th at 5:00 pm. Notably, unlike previous Apple product releases it does not appear that customers will be able to pre-order the device online or pre-reserve a device for pickup at a local Apple Retail Store. The Apple Store indicates that customers will be able to place an order “starting March 11.”

The iPad 2 will be selling at the same price points as the original iPad, with the Wi-Fi models selling for $499, $599 and $699 for the 16GB, 32GB and 64GB versions, respectively, and the Wi-Fi + 3G versions selling for $130 more at $629, $729 and $829. Separate Wi-Fi + 3G models will be available for both AT&T and Verizon.

Today Apple also announced the upcoming release of two new Apple applications for the iPad: iMovie and GarageBand. iMovie will be released as a universal app for the iPad, iPhone and iPod touch and provides new features such as multi-track audio editing, a precision editor, and the ability to output video via AirPlay and share videos in HD with popular sites. The app will include an improved UI evolved from the original iMovie app for iOS released last summer, resembling more of a beginners’ version of iMovie for the Mac with more powerful editing features. The new version will include a new voiceover recording system, three new themes, sound effects, transitions and new visual effects. Users will be able to share videos from iMovie to YouTube, Facebook, Vimeo and CNN iReport.

GarageBand for the iPad will include built-in touch instruments, guitar amps and effects with eight-track mixing and 250 loops built-in. Files created in the iPad version of GarageBand can be used with the Mac version and vice-versa, and GarageBand on the iPad will be able to output directly into AAC format for sending content via e-mail. Users can transform the iPad screen into a variety of touch instruments such as a piano, synthesizer, drum kit or virtual Smart Guitar all with photorealistic interfaces. The app will also take advantage of the accelerometer for velocity-sensitivity on piano keys and drum sets. The app will also provide a series of Smart Instruments designed to be easily played by novices and experienced musicians alike. Users will be able to record from any instrument screen and e-mail their mixes or send them to iTunes.

Both applications are scheduled to be released on March 11th and will sell for $5 each.

During today’s Media Event, Apple’s Scott Forstall provided a preview of iOS 4.3 for the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad. The new iOS update is expected to improve Safari performance using the Nitro engine for twice the speed and as expected will include improved support for AirPlay video and audio from third-party apps, the ability to customize the iPad switch for mute or orientation lock and support for the new Personal Hotspot feature first debuted on the Verizon iPhone 4. iOS 4.3 will also include support for iTunes Home Sharing, allowing users to wirelessly stream content to an iPad, iPhone or iPod touch from their iTunes library. The iPad 2 will ship with iOS 4.3 which also provides support for FaceTime on the iPad and new software for the iPad 2 cameras. iOS 4.3 is scheduled to be released on March 11 and will support the iPhone 3GS and GSM iPhone 4, first-generation iPad and third- and fourth-generation iPod touch. Notably, support for the Verizon iPhone will not be included in the initial iOS 4.3 release; it is unclear whether a later update will be released separately for the Verizon iPhone 4.

At today’s iPad 2 Media Event, Apple’s Scott Forstall provided a demonstration of the new camera features that will be included on the iPad 2. As expected, the iPad 2 will provide built-in support for FaceTime in a manner similar to the FaceTime application included on the fourth-generation iPod touch. FaceTime on the iPad will be shown full-screen and as with other FaceTime-capable devices users will be able to see a preview window in the corner of the screen and switch between cameras to show people what they are looking at.

Apple also unveiled Photo Booth for iOS, which will be included on the iPad 2 as part of iOS 4.3. Similar to the Mac application of the same name, Photo Booth on the iPad 2 will allow users to take pictures with either the front or rear cameras and apply a collection of special effects chosen from windows at the bottom of the screen. Photos can be shared with friends and Forstall noted that the iPad 2 is so fast that 9 live video feeds for the special effects can be previewed on the screen simultaneously.

During its Media Event today Apple unveiled the latest-generation iPad. Dubbed the iPad 2, Steve Jobs described the new model as an entirely new design. Building on last year’s A4 chip, the iPad 2 features a dual-core A5 chip which provides essentially two processors for twice the performance. Graphics performance in the new model has been enhanced even further with nine times the performance of the first-generation model. Despite the performance improvements, the A5 chip provides the same lower power consumption as last year’s A4 chip, providing the same legendary 10-hour battery life as the first-generation iPad.

As anticipated, the iPad 2 will also include two video cameras—one rear and one front camera for FaceTime, video and photo capture similar to the iPhone 4 and fourth-generation iPod touch. The new model also adds the gyroscope sensor first introduced on the iPhone 4 last summer. Despite the extra hardware, the iPad 2 comes in at 66% of the thickness of the original iPad at 8.8mm—thinner than the iPhone 4, and reducing the weight to 1.3 pounds.

The iPad 2 will be available in two colours—black and white, both available from launch day, as well as 3G versions for both AT&T and Verizon at launch. The iPad 2 is expected to retail at the same prices as last year’s original iPad, with the 16GB model selling for $499 in the U.S. Expected release date is March 11th in the United States, followed by a simultaneous release in 26 other countries on March 25th.

Hours ahead of the official announcement of the second-generation iPad, Chinese site DGtle has posted a series of photos purporting to represent the new device. Though the images appear to be a very close approximation of the iPad rear casing first spotted by iLounge in January, notably including a different speaker grille design and a 3G antenna panel, the images also show seams, edges and a model number on the back that call into question their legitimacy as photos of a production iPad model as opposed to a mockup. Until the actual iPad design is unveiled later today, images of this sort should be taken for what they are: approximations that can be used to understand general changes likely to appear in an upcoming iPad model.

iLounge will provide live coverage of Apple’s special event in San Francisco tomorrow, starting a little bit before 10:00 AM Pacific Time/1:00PM Eastern Time. We look forward to having you join us here for the event, which is expected to include announcements of the second-generation iPad, iOS 4.3, and updated iTunes/MobileMe services, but could possibly go further.

Bookmark Live.iLounge.com today. Right before the event begins, we’ll be switching over to that special page for updates so that we can optimize performance for all of our readers. A separate chat room will host reader discussions of the announcements as they happen. See you then!

Update: We’re updating the Live.iLounge.com page now with photo links and text. Check it out!

The Federal Aviation Administration has approved the iPad for use as an alternative to paper flight charts. CNN reports that the approval, which applies only to charter company Executive Jet Management and the app Mobile TC, took three months of rigorous testing across 250 flights, and included rapid decompression testing. In addition, the airline will be required to carry a second approved electronic device—most likely a second iPad—in case of a system or software crash, although neither the device nor the app crashed during testing. Jeff Buhl, product manager for the Mobile TC app at developer Jeppesen, said the iOS operating system and app proved “extremely stable” during testing, adding that in the “unlikely” event of a crash, the app is ready to go again in “in 4-6 seconds from re-launch to previous state.”

Despite the approval’s limited conditions, the report notes that it opens the door for other operators, including major airlines, to move to iPad-based charts, though any airline wishing to use the device will have to go through equally rigorous testing. “As far as the iPad is concerned, we do that on a case-by-case basis when an airline applies to be able to use it,” said FAA spokesman Les Dorr. According to Jeppesen, several carriers are looking into using the iPad and Mobile TC; Alaska Airlines began testing the iPad in November and there are now roughly 100 pilots currently evaluating the device.

As expected, Apple has sent out invitations to select members of the media inviting them to a special event on March 2. The image accompanying the invitation features a mockup of iOS’s Calendar app set for the date of March 2, with a corner peeled back to reveal an image of the original iPad underneath, and the tagline “Come see what 2011 will be the year of.” Apple is expected to unveil the second-generation iPad at the event; the device itself is expected to feature a front-facing camera for FaceTime video calling, a larger speaker, and a thinner design, among other improvements. The event will be held at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts Theater in San Francisco and will start at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time.